Mental Health Week Exception

Yesterday we violated Mental Health Week rules and we went to treadmill therapy, but we had a good reason: it was Kody's last day in the pediatric therapy center.  Kody has been a big influence in Josie's life (you can read about it here) and we couldn't miss his last day!

Wearing the perma-grin she always spots when Kody is around, Josie happily displayed her  gross motor skills and abilities.  Kody, Katie, and I sat in a circle and convinced Josie to walk between us by offering hugs and squeezes.  There is no better incentive as far as Josie is concerned!

We sadly bid adieu to Josie's "big crush" and Josie professed her love for him one last time.

Kody has been such a positive influence in Josie's life and we are so grateful for the time he spent motivating Josie to want to continue to pursue her gross motor goals.  We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.  He will undoubtedly make a fantastic physical therapist!

We rounded out day 4 of Mental Health Week with a family trip to the park where we had a wonderful time wearing the girls out.  Thanks to all that exercise and fresh air, dinner and bedtime were a breeze.  

We're definitely going to have to do this more often!

Mental Health Week

Our lives revolve around Josie's therapy and medical appointments.  Just to give you a feel for what kind of commitment that is, Josie sees a pediatrician, pediatric pulmonologist, a physician who specializes in Down syndrome, a nurse practitioner who helps us with her Mic-Key button, a GI doctor, two physical therapists, two speech & language pathologists, a feeding therapist, an occupational therapist, a literacy tutor, a developmental teacher, a college student who helps reinforce those skills...and I'm sure I'm forgetting plenty.

While we are dedicated to doing everything we can to help Josie reach her greatest potential, sometimes we all just need a break.  That's why we decided to take a "Mental Health Week".  That's just code for taking the week off, as the alternative would have likely been this frazzled mom being committed to some sort of a mental health institution.  And if I feel that way, you can imagine how Josie must feel. 

Bea, one of Josie's wonderful physical therapists, fully endorsed the idea.  In fact, she mentioned that there is a school of thought that suggests that taking some time off can stimulate a breakthrough.  So this week, there will be no exercises, no flash cards, no hip helpers, no walker, and no being awoken from nap for the next appointment.  That leaves a lot more time for the really important things like experimenting with funky new hairstyles (because no one is going to see you anyway)...
...taking goofy self portraits...

...stealing your sister's pants so you can see how they look on you...

Pantsing (verb - transitive) - The act or practice of pulling someone's pants down; to pull down an individual's bottom-wear, exposing their underwear. A form of public humiliation.

What?  I didn't see any rule posted about not pantsing my sister.

And you know that thing that Bea said about a little time off leading to a breakthrough?

That's just Day 1 of "Mental Health Week"!  We can't wait to see what the rest of the week holds!

Momnesia

When I was pregnant with Merryn, I developed a severe case of "pregnancy brain."  One time, I went to the grocery store and filled up my cart, only to realize that I had forgotten my purse and had no form of payment on me.  Another time, I made tuna and noodle casserole and I forgot to add the tuna (minor detail) and I didn't even realize it until I was munching on the leftovers the next day.  Oh and perhaps the biggest pregnancy brain episode was when I arranged childcare, showered, dressed and arrived at a dentist appointment only to be told that I had no appointment!  I had imagined it!  They literally laughed me out of the office.

What an immense relief to put pregnancy and pregnancy brain behind me...until we showed up at the pediatric therapy center this morning for our 10:15am speech therapy appointment only to be told that the speech & language pathologist was on vacation.  Vacation?!  But I had it on my calendar!  The receptionist searched and searched and could find no record of us having an appointment.  Looks like my pregnancy brain has morphed into "momnesia."  Oh and it gets worse...

Josie's beloved physical therapist, Katie, had a cancellation and benevolently offered to do treadmill therapy with us today so we don't have to come back tomorrow.  Great!

Josie walked on the treadmill, practiced walking behind a toy shopping cart, and even practiced reaching, squatting, and bending.  My little speech therapy mishap turned into a productive appointment, indeed.

And while the initial mistake was a bit embarrassing, I left feeling good about how things turned out...until I got home, uploaded my photos, and saw this picture:

Yes, folks - in addition to making up an imaginary speech therapy appointment, I am also responsible for a serious wardrobe malfunction; I dressed Josie in her sister's dress!  And I didn't even notice until I saw the pictures of Josie in this miniskirt so short that it would make Madonna blush!

It's not like they're all that similar in size.   Just to clarify, Merryn wears a size 12M.  Josie wears a size 24M. 

How does this happen?!

I think I need a LONG vacation!

Treadmill Therapy at Home

Josie has been making great strides (pun intended) in treadmill therapy.  She graduated from using the suspended harness and now she just uses the handles to support herself.  She has also accelerated to a lighting fast 0.5mph.  Those two factors mean she is ready to start practicing her treadmill skills and abilities at home. 

Josie is fortunate to have a very handy and creative dad who is determined to provide her with the resources needed to become a successful walker.  Besides, he loves a good household project.

After a trip to Lowes to gather his supplies, he measured our little Diva to see how high to mount the handle bars:

While Dad was hard at work adapting the treadmill for Josie's use, Josie was hard at play.

However, Merryn kept a close eye on him and continuously checked his progress.  She fancies herself quite the foreman.

Hey JoJo - you need to come check this out!

Really?  Well, I suppose I could take a peek...

In a matter of hours, that fancy new contraption was ready and Josie was eager to try it out.  That is, if "eager" means stubbornly dissolving into a limp rag doll at the mere sight of the treadmill.

After a little pep talk from Dad, Josie was ready to try again...

...and while her form leaves something to be desired, she did a little bit better.

Because she is blessed with such a caring and talented Dad, she can now practice her treadmill walking everyday! 

This calls for a "happy face," don't you think?

Tune in tomorrow because everyone's favorite chromosomally enhanced Aunt is popping in for a visit! 

Physical Therapy Playdate

Today we had the pleasure of having our adorable buddy, Hadley, over.  Josie and Hadley share the same physical therapist (our beloved Bea) so we all got together for a physical therapy playdate!

When you look up "Cute" in the dictionary, this is what you should see!

Josie showed Hadley her favorite toys including her farm animal figurines, her musical instruments, and of course, her singing animals!  Funny that Hadley zeroed in on the exact same toy that Josie loved the most when she was Hadley's age!

Then Bea arrived and started cracking the whip! 

Josie is working on a new method of getting down when she's pulled herself up because the stand-there-and-whine-for-help approach isn't working for mom.

Hadley is working on strengthening her muscles and learning to contain her excessive hip abduction.  Her mom said she rocks her Hip Helpers around the clock!

You go girl!

You know what else is really cool about Hadley?  She's got a sassy pants attitude face to rival Josie's and she's only one!  Her mom better watch out!

Having so much fun with her good buddy, Hadley, put Josie in a very affectionate mood.

This may look sweet but I'm pretty sure Josie is clenching her teeth hissing "Squeeze!" while trying to get her sister in a headlock.  It's her latest trick.

 Hadley didn't escape Josie's warm embrace either.

We hope she'll come back and play again soon anyway!

P.S.  Since I am a firm believer in the power of blogosphere prayers, we would really appreciate some prayers for Josie JoJo who is embarking on a little adventure tomorrow.  More on that later!

Slumber Saturday

Josie's physical therapist suggested we build an "obstacle course" of pillows and couch cushions to provide extra challenge for Josie while she's crawling around.  So this morning, that's just what we did.  As with many of Josie's therapy exercises, Merryn was subjected to this one as well.  We covered the floor of the playroom with pillows and let the girls do their thing...

Josie wore her hot pink Hip Helpers because neon is very trendy right now and Josie likes to stay abreast of the latest styles.  Consequently, excessive hip abduction is definitely a fashion "don't" this season so we try to avoid that, too.

It's a good thing we didn't have any visitors today because a sofa without cushions isn't very inviting...

...but a soft, pillowy playroom floor sure is. 

 Muscles are strengthened, children are worn out, and parents have some peace...it's a superb trifecta!  Anyone with little ones can understand why the "Obstacle Course" has now earned a permanent spot in our rotation.  Suddenly sitting on the sofa frame doesn't seem so bad.

Swingin'

Little Josie she's as pretty as the angels when they sing.

I can't believe I'm down here in the basement in this swing,

Just a swingin' (swingin')

Ok, that little intro will be lost on anyone who's not a John Anderson fan but Mama Hop will appreciate it. Josie will be two in March and she still isn't remotely interested in walking. She prefers not to fight gravity but instead, to stay at close to the ground as possible; she feels safer that way. Our wonderful physical therapist, Bea, will stop at nothing to ensure that Josie will take her first steps one of these days. She keeps coming up with creative ideas to encourage Miss Cautious to enjoy movement. She may have outdone herself this time.  Introducing Josie's new net swing:

Swings offer powerful sensory input.  Therapists use different types of swings to reinforce various therapy objectives for children; in Josie's case, it will be used to stimulate her vestibular system and promote the enjoyment of moment.

Here's dad making some last minute adjustments to her new swing.

He gives Josie a little pep talk before we begin.

And she's off!

 While the swing is supposed to have more of a hammock shape, Dad insisted on pinning up the sides of the net to ensure that Josie didn't fall out.  Yes, we realize she looks like she stepped into some sort of cartoon trap and got caught in a net...

...but she likes it! 

Thanks, Bea.  You just might turn her into a little daredevil after all!

New Year, New Camera

I'd like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who left a comment in rememberance of my father.  Your support brings comfort during this difficult time.  He's been gone less than two weeks and yet there is already so much I wish I could tell him; like how I got a new camera.  He would have been pleased.

Yes, after nearly two years of parenthood and thousands of photos, we finally took the plunge and upgraded from a trusty old point & shoot to a DSLR.  But I quickly learned that a snazzy new camera doesn't automatically make you a professional photographer. 

Exhibit A:

Yeah, I was off to a rocky start.

My munchkins were in bed by the time I was able to get the camera out of the box and start fiddling with it.  Lucky for me, our four-legged family member, Lillian, was more than happy to be my practice subject.  However, she wasn't interested in posing for a still life portrait.  She prefers a live action shot, showcasing how she earned her nickname, "White Lightning".

She may be almost 9 years old, she may weigh less than four pounds, and she may resemble the little battery operated dog that does flips outside of the toy store at the mall, but she fancies herself both fast and ferocious.

Yesterday, Josie had physical therapy which provided another fun opportunity to whip out the new camera.  Check out Little Miss Josie JoJo - bearing weight on her feet AND smiling while doing it!  Talk about a Kodak moment!

Josie also had feeding therapy yesterday.  Since I had my new camera out, she figured she would show off her self-feeding skills.  Pretty impressive...

...although it was a little bit of a hassle.  You see, after caking herself in food during feeding therapy, Josie required her second bath of the day.  I also went to the trouble of washing her outfit again while she napped.  Why?  Well, because I was absolutely determined to get an adorable shot of my girls in their matching ensembles before sunset!

The genuine smiles, sparkling eyes, and unsolicited hand-holding captured here made it all worth it!

Move over, Anne Geddes!  We're coming for you ;-)

Josie gets a Gait Trainer

Although she's made a lot of progress in the physical therapy department, Miss Josie still has a ways to go when it comes to mobility.  Her wonderful physical therapist, Bea, attributes her hesitation to both her excessively content temperament (she's happy where she's at - no need to rock the boat) and her extreme cautiousness (the kid's not much of a risk taker). 

That's why we were so excited when Bea arrived this week with an extra special gift for Josie: a snazzy red gait trainer!  This little device is designed to promote proper positioning and encourage mobility for kiddos who can confidently stand but need a little extra encouragement taking steps. 

Josie checking out her new wheels

Initially, Josie *ahem* wasn't crazy about this new idea.  To say she resisted would be the understatement of the year.  If she could talk, I'm pretty sure we would need lots of these types of symbols $*#!@* to explain what she was saying to Bea.

@#!%&!

Our physical therapy session quickly morphed into cuddle therapy.  I guess that Bea missed that day in PT school when they were taught how to resist the charming manipulations of cute children who prefer not to practice their skills and abilities. But you can't really blame Bea.  In my lifetime of experience, I can confidently assert that kiddos with Down syndrome are born with a PhD in charming manipulation tactics!

Josie is a card carrying expert

But we finally succeeded in coaxing Josie into the gait trainer.  Josie ensured we didn't get too cocky in our victory celebrations by sporting her most defiant you-may-have-won-this-battle-but-I-am-still-not-amused face, and clinging to the device for dear life.

But if I know anything about chromosomally enhanced folks, the key to conquering new skills and abilities is a willingness to out-stubborn them.  Hence, Josie has been plopped in her new gait trainer every day and she's actually starting to dig it!

Look Ma - no hands!

While she hasn't figured out how to walk forward, she is getting quite good at pushing herself backward.  Realizing that she's leaving the room, she enthusiastically waves "bye bye" and disappears down the hallway!

Atta girl!